i had spent most of the weekend under my comforter. last week was exhausting physically and emotionally that i just needed some alone time. i really feel that as you get older, quiet time in your own little world does wonders. but by sunday, i was feeling the cabin fever. i needed to venture out and be with actual human beings*

and i chose to go to rock the riles to break the self-imposed “anti-social” exile.

rock the riles is an annual event organized by rocked to celebrate international human rights day. it’s basically a day where different bands rock the whole MRT network. from the rocked website:

Noel Cabangon, Sugarfree, Imago, Chicosci, Radioactive Sago Project, Stonefree, Peryodiko, Ciudad, and Up Dharma Down lead this year’s gathering, urging Filipinos to use the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals as a road map for progress.

Riles is our way of honoring all the progress that was made this year, while at the same time launching another year of nation-building. See, a call to action can sometimes involve a guitar, amps, and 100+ rockstars. Watch a gig, take a stand, rock and roll, and change the country!

i wanted to catch most of the acts performing at the shaw and ayala stations so by 5pm, i left the house and drove to centris where i parked my car and took the train at the quezon avenue station.

FYI- this is not my first time on the MRT. hehehe! in fact, i used to take the jeep when i was still studying in UP diliman. took the ikot/toki and sometimes, took the jeep home! ANYWAY, so we took the train to the shaw station and got to catch peryodiko and sugarfree then we rushed to go to the ayala station hoping to hear up dharma down, but we misssed them. we didn’t go home disappointed though, we were treated by the amazing radioactive sago project.

in case you haven’t heard of radioactive sago project, i believe you need to listen to them first.

it’s so hard to describe radioactive sago. just imagine a big band jazz act complete with a horns section add the usual trappings of a rock band and a DJ on the side PLUS the amazing spoken word of lourd de veyra. lemme tell ya, they’re mindblowing. the last time i saw them live was a few years ago and seeing them today really just left me awed once again. truly a fitting finale for such a great event!

as for the MRT ride? well, it was kind of full for a sunday but i guess it’s the holidays. nevertheless, it was more than a pleasant experience. i just wish the whole MRT/LRT thing was more connected and reached the inner web of the makati central business district. i would ride the MRT if that was the case. one can dream, right?

congratulations, gang badoy and the rest of the rock ed volunteers. you are doing the Lord’s work!